OPINION: DIRTY SOAP's Farah and Jenna Show New And Wonderful Sides To Themselves

DIRTY SOAP didn't have that overt theme jumping out that it had over the past couple of weeks but I picked up on my own theme.

We have come to know these soap stars in very specific roles on this show but things aren't always so cut and dried. Given that I tend to have very strong feelings for both Jenna Gering and Farah Fath, it is obvious that these are the two people I'm starting to re-evaluate in light of events on last night's episode. I didn't realize that I was going to have some shifts in my opinion at the beginning of this episode.

Jenna and Galen were hosting a BBQ with various soap stars in attendance (Mark Hapka! Ashley Jones!) in addition to JP, Farah, Brandon, and Nadia. I still don't believe that Jenna and Galen are friends with their cast members on DIRTY SOAP. All of their interactions seem forced. These people are only at this BBQ because they are on the same show but to be fair would the Real Housewives hang out with each other if they weren't on the same show? Probably not. Farah was looking at Jenna and Galen's children like they were aliens and yet said that she thought about having kids. Really? I almost spit out my drink. At this point nurturing is not an adjective I would use to describe Farah. It seemed like any other episode of DIRTY SOAP but appearances can be deceiving

Brandon had been asked to model for Perry Ellis at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. If they said Mercedes Benz Fashion Week one more time during the episode I might have had to punch myself in the face. Brandon is acting very insecure about being a model. He doesn't think that he is attractive enough. Cry me a river. Nadia thinks that it will be fun and he should get on board with doing it. Then she drops the bombshell that she HOPES she can be there for it but it all depends on her shooting schedule for the movie. Brandon is obviously upset about this but it's not like as an actor he doesn't understand that is part of the game. Yes, it would suck if your girlfriend couldn't be there but this is the life that you both have chosen.

At the Gering household there is a nonsensical scene with one of the kids getting their blankey back. I could not care less about these family shenanigans if I tried. Hopefully it resonates for someone but I'd find watching a blank screen more interesting. This is the moment, however, that I start to have an opinion about Jenna that is not entirely negative. They start talking about having another child and how she really wants to have a girl. Galen does not seem down with the idea of another child. While she has a modicum of a point when she says that she does all the work, she shouldn't want him to participate in making a baby if he is not completely on board. Jenna wants to find out if they can figure out a way to predetermine the sex of the baby. I find that Galen is being completely dismissive with Jenna. It's fine if he doesn't want another kid but he needs to do a better job of hearing Jenna out and understanding her point of view. For some reason Jenna was getting a lot of sympathy out of me. She should milk it for all it's worth because God only knows how many episodes that can last.

The real drama starts at the DIRTY SOAP photo shoot. Farah continues driving along her path of unpleasantness when JP's hairstylists goes to Farah to find out if JP should shave right after JP said that he didn't want to shave. Farah, of course, is calling the shots and tells the hairstylist that JP will shave. Farah doesn't even look at the woman. She would make a fantastic dictator though. Kirsten seems to have really low energy and is tired at the shoot. The producers have obviously goaded Nadia into talking about this with Farah because Nadia doesn't seem interested in the slightest. Farah, on the other hand, is starting to show what at least seems to me as... genuine concern. She seems worried about Kirsten. Are human emotions trying to fight their way out of Farah? Farah, Nadia, and Brandon continue their conversation later at Nadia and Brandon's. Farah throws out some nonsense about Kirsten not liking her hair and makeup but that isn't going to make someone look like they want to curl up in a ball and hide from the world. Her thought process is complete rubbish but she seems to genuinely sympathize with Kirsten if that is in fact what is wrong. That's bout of human emotion time number two for Farah.

Later, Brandon continues to complain about having to be a model when he meets with some casting people to work on his walk before heading to NY. I understand that there is a specific walk and way of going about modeling. I'm not saying that I would be very good at it but the way that Brandon is carrying on about this is getting out of hand. He continues his tour of delusionalville when he says he is nervous about taking his clothes off to change because he is shy. This man is practically naked on television ALL THE TIME. There is cast and crew everywhere when he shoots these scenes.You shouldn't have a problem changing in front of a room of people who aren't even paying attention to you.

Jenna and Galen go to talk to a fertility specialist who gives them some options on gender selection but it doesn't sound to me like it is anything that anyone can guarantee. Galen continues to not seem the slightest bit interested in having another child and I still feel bad for Jenna. I don't know where all this good will towards Jenna is coming from. Maybe I was really tired when I watched the episode. Later, Galen gives Jenna the hard sell as to why they shouldn't have kids: they don't have time to spend together as is, the procedure is invasive, and what if they don't wind up with a girl. They agree to put the issue on hold for the moment. Jenna is agreeing but she seems really unhappy about it. She seems so disappointed I can't help but be sad for her.

Brandon, meanwhile, brings his whining from LA to NY. Not wanting to limit his bitching and moaning to Nadia, he tells JP that he is worried that his abs aren't good enough to walk the runway. Can he please just shut his goddamn mouth? Not wanting to be outdone, JP throws in his two cents about how he doesn't feel good looking. These two HOT HOT HOT men with amazing bodies need to stop it. Just stop. Nadia is able to come out for the show but because of a call time change has to head back to LA before it happens. Brandon is bummed but he does fine. Shocking.

Things start to take a more serious tone when Kelly approaches Kirsten to find out what is wrong. It's clear that she is going through something but she hasn't opened up to anyone about what it is. When Kelly asks Kirsten about it Kirsten responds by crying and saying she can't talk about it yet. In NY, Nadia tells Brandon, JP, and Farah that GENERAL HOSPITAL is temporarily recasting Kirsten. Obviously shaken Farah goes to full blown human being mode and immediately begins to worry about Kirsten not only because of what could be wrong but also because she doesn't have the best support system. She wants to be there for her if she needs it. Farah is becoming the definition of not reading a book by its cover right before my very eyes. One could say she is doing this for the cameras but it seems genuine to me.

Farah and her gay, Danny, check out the story online and instead of worrying about Kirsten, Danny wants to Google her recast. Who cares who her recast is? This is someone that was at one point your friend. Show some concern. Farah is worried and Danny, once again showing what a gentleman he is, berates Farah for being concerned telling her: "she is not the person you grew up with", and "that is not your childhood best friend, that girl is gone." You know what? She still is a human being. Who cares what has happened. When someone is sick petty arguments get put aside. Let Farah be concerned. Not listening to her moronic friend, Farah tracks down Tiffany, Kirsten's soon to be sister-in-law, and explains she is concerned. Tiffany LAYS INTO Farah for showing concern after everything she has said about Kirsten. People really need to lay off Farah. I know, I'm as shocked as you are that I said that. In between berating Farah she tells her that Kirsten has endometriosis. Terrible news that Tiffany wants to deliver and then start a fight with Farah. As if she is a different person, Farah decides to take the high road and ends the call so as to not start a war with Tiffany. She just asks Tiffany to pass along her concern to Kirsten.

Farah and Jenna were the two I liked least on this show but this week I a new side of both of them. Jenna's desire for another child was so genuine that I couldn't help but feel her pain given that Galen, while going through the motions with her, seemed so cavalier with her feeling about the matter. Farah really stepped up to the plate this week and showed that when push came to shove maybe she really was a good friend. She was one hundred percent concerned for Kirsten and put aside all the drama to see what she could do to help her. In light of everything that is happening with Kirsten, I hope that the two of them are able to patch up their friendship so there doesn't have to be a team Farah or a team Kirsten. The only team there should be now is team Kirsten get better.

Brian Hewson contributes primetime reviews for We Love Soaps. Along with Greg Turner, Brian is the creator, writer, and producer of the web soap, EMPIRE, which can be found at www.empiretheseries.com. Brian loves soaps

5 comments:

I honestly don't get why you watch this show. All you do is complain about each cast member and call them names. Just because people think JP and Brandon are cute does not mean like women they have their self doubts and issues. I think JP is hotter than Brandon but that's me. And sorry but I was with Galen on the Jenna wanting another baby. She came off as a bored housewife who wanted this big expensive way to have a baby just to make sure she got a girl. Galen reacted like any guy in that situation would. As for Farah I've liked her the whole show and felt this eppy proved me right that she is the nice/cool person I thought she was. I'm not big on KS and I think Kelly can be KS support system without sticking her nose in and getting in between FF and KS>

Wow, Brian, I love your review, but were we watching the same show? Jenna's gender selection was downright "Twilight of The Golds" and demonstrated only that she is not mature enough to actually carry and care for another child.

And Farah? I saw the opposite of compassion. I saw a person who was concerned only so far as it affected her. There was no authentic concern for Kirsten on display, just for Farah. I think the woman on the phone articulated it - friendship doesn't mean you call only when something goes wrong.

I fully concede that this is edited together to tell a story, and is in no way an accurate representation of "reality." But very interesting how it is possible to see things in different ways.